Sunday, November 6, 2011

After pushing A Company from BP1, the Soviets had three options to cross PL Mohawk, which I will call "north" (west of BP1), "middle" (west of Behrensen) and "south" (west of Bisperode).

PL Mohawk, North Crossing

Still pumping adrenaline after the ill-executed retreat from BP1, Company A (now reduced to 8 Leopard tanks) crossed PL Mohawk at the north point and immediately pivoted south. The original plan called to fall back into BP2 and wait for the best limited counter-attack opportunity.

SITREP, 0834. Yes, you need to click this picture to actually read the map.

However, as it can be seen in the map above, the Soviets were still pushing west of BP1 so Company A stayed near the north crossing point and spread their tanks so to take any enemy tanks crossing PL Mohawk from their left flank.

The north crossing of PL Mohawk was also defended by two vehicles of 1st Platoon, B Company (pictured above). These vehicles were also deployed to take any Soviet tanks with flank shots.

The Soviet tanks showed up at PL Mohawk (north crossing) piecemeal, which allowed both German tanks and IFVs to engage them con gusto.

A Leopard tank from the 1st Platoon, A Company destroys the lead of a T-72 tank platoon at PL Mohawk (north). The enemy tank is in the background (to the right), cresting a small elevation.

So target-rich was the north crossing of PL Mohawk that the PzGr. at OP3 were allowed to engage. In the picture above, a Marder IFV has just shot a Milan ATGM and destroyed a Soviet T-72 (in the bakcground, right, near the road). Note the other T-72 in the left (near the road) moving towards PL Mohawk.

The deployment of A Company (in a column of platoons) posed some serious friendly fire dangers. Tanks echeloned to the rear had to shoot "over the shoulders" of the tanks in front.

Destroyed enemy vehicles piling up at PL Mohawk north.

After just 7 minutes of shooting, 15 T-72 Soviet tanks were burning at the north crossing of PL Mohawk. One Leopard tank was destroyed, hit by enemy artillery.